Dungeon Hunter: Morphmaster

This might be a little different because I put the name instead of the family name like mother, father and sister. But that would be boring, as if I'm neglecting the side character I created without a name, so if it complicated for you reader. Just commented here.

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As they finished the birthday meal, Lloyd cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. He leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his sharp blue eyes.

"Well, Hugo.." he began, his tone casual, "I have one last surprise for you."

Luna tilted her head, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity as her feline tail swayed gently behind her. Lily perked up, her rabbit ears twitching with excitement. "Another surprise? What is it, Dad?" she asked, her voice brimming with anticipation.

Lloyd smirked, reaching under the table to retrieve a small, sleek box. It was matte black with intricate blue patterns glowing faintly on its surface. He slid it across the table toward Hugo, who blinked in confusion.

"What's this?" Hugo asked hesitantly, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as he picked up the box.

"Open it and see." Lloyd replied, his tone cryptic but his grin widening.

Hugo carefully lifted the lid, revealing a futuristic-looking wrist device nestled inside. The device seemed to hum faintly with energy, its glowing blue lines pulsating rhythmically. Hugo's expression shifted from confusion to awe as he examined the strange object.

"What… what is this?" Hugo asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's called the Megatrix." Lloyd explained, leaning forward, his tone proud and excited. "A prototype I've been working on for years. It's a transformation device, designed to let its user harness the powers of other species by transforming into them. Right now, it's empty with no transformations stored yet, but with time, you'll discover its true potential."

Lily gasped, her golden eyes wide with amazement. "That's so cool! Hugo, you're like, officially a superhero now!"

Luna smiled softly, placing a gentle hand on Hugo's shoulder. "Your father worked very hard on this. It's his way of showing how much he believes in you."

Hugo's gaze flickered between his family and the Megatrix. "Why me?" he asked, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I don't even have an ability. Wouldn't this be better for Frost or Lily?"

"Because." Lloyd said firmly, "you've got something they don't.. A mind that thinks differently. You see solutions where others see as problems. And besides…" His smirk returned. "Who better to test my masterpiece than my own son?"

Frost chuckled from the corner, his wide smile never faltering. "Looks like the spotlight's finally on you, little bro. Let's see what you can do with it."

Hugo hesitated for a moment before strapping the Megatrix onto his left wrist. The device adjusted automatically, fitting snugly against his arm. As he turned his wrist to inspect it, the central dial lit up, projecting a holographic interface above his hand.

Lily clapped her hands together, practically bouncing in her seat. "Try it out, Hugo! Scan something! Let's see it in action!"

"Not yet." Lloyd interjected, his tone stern. "The Megatrix isn't a toy. It's a tool, one that requires responsibility and understanding. Hugo needs to learn how it works first."

Hugo nodded, his contemplative expression returning. "I'll figure it out." he said quietly but with determination.

Luna's gentle smile grew. "We know you will, Hugo. We believe in you."

And for the first time that evening, a small, genuine smile crossed Hugo's face as he looked at his family, the weight of the Megatrix on his wrist a symbol of a new chapter in his life.

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After the meal, the family naturally dispersed to their usual activity.

Lloyd headed down to his workshop in the basement, as he often did after dinner, tinkering with his various projects. Luna stayed behind in the kitchen, washing the dishes in her calm, methodical way. Lily and Frost went to their respective rooms, leaving the dining area quiet and still.

Hugo also returned to his room, the Megatrix still strapped to his wrist. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stared at the device, its faint blue glow illuminating the dim space. The weight of the gift and the responsibility it carried, settled in.

Without a word, Hugo leaned back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts about what lay ahead.

As Hugo lay on his bed, the weight of the day pressing down on him. Between the unexpected party, the teasing from Frost, and the reveal of the Megatrix, his mind was swirling with thoughts.

He glanced at the glowing device on his wrist one last time, its faint hum oddly soothing. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, exhaustion overtook him.

The room fell silent, save for the soft, steady breathing of the boy who had no idea how much his life was about to change...

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Hugo's morning was a blur of frantic movement. After bolting out of bed and realizing how late he was, he skipped breakfast, shoved on his shoes, and dashed out the door, his backpack bouncing against his back. The streets were bustling with the usual morning chaos, but Hugo weaved through it with practiced ease, muttering apologies as he sidestepped pedestrians and barely avoided a car honking at him.

Halfway to school, Hugo slowed to catch his breath. That's when he noticed the faint, pulsing glow on his wrist. Lifting his arm, he frowned. "The Megatrix?" he muttered. "I forgot to take it off?"

He groaned in frustration, realizing how careless he had been. "I can't believe I didn't notice this earlier. Great, now I look like I'm showing off some cheap gadget." He adjusted his sleeve, trying to hide the device, though the blue light still faintly seeped through the fabric. "I'll just take it off when I get to school." he reassured himself, picking up his pace again.

As Hugo sprinted toward the crosswalk at the edge of a park, the air around him suddenly shifted. A strange, oppressive feeling washed over him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He stopped in his tracks, looking around as the bustling street seemed to go eerily quiet.

A sharp crack split the air, and a swirling vortex of dark energy tore open right in front of him. The ground trembled beneath his feet as a massive portal materialized, its edges crackling with chaotic mana. Hugo stumbled back, shielding his face from the sudden gust of wind and energy erupting from the rift.

"What the—? A dungeon portal? Here?!" he exclaimed, panic setting in. He had heard of dungeon breakouts happening in random locations, but he'd never been this close to one before.

Before he could move, an overwhelming surge of mana blasted out from the portal, hitting him like a tidal wave. Hugo braced himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground as the pressure threatened to knock him over. His heart raced, and his legs wobbled, but he didn't fall.

The portal pulsed violently, its energy growing stronger by the second. The air grew thick with tension as a shadow began to emerge from within the swirling void. Hugo's eyes widened as he stared at the dark, hulking figure stepping through.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze—the world holding its breath as the first of the mysterious creatures began to make its appearance.

The swirling energy of the portal grew darker and more volatile, crackling with bursts of mana that rippled through the air. Hugo took a step back, shielding his face as a towering figure began to emerge.

The first thing he noticed was the creature's grotesque form—a massive, blue-skinned amphibian with an armored back bristling with sharp, jagged spikes. Its slimy, reflective hide shimmered in the dim morning light. The creature's bulbous, bloodshot eyes scanned its surroundings, exuding an aura of menace and primal hunger.

Hugo's breath caught in his throat. "A Spike-Frog... no, that's a boss-level one." he muttered, dread sinking into his chest.

The colossal beast let out a guttural croak that reverberated across the street, shaking the very ground beneath Hugo's feet. Its spiked back rattled with a metallic sound, like a warning bell. Then came the sound of smaller croaks, more like high-pitched chirps and Hugo turned to see smaller green Spike-Frogs hopping out of the portal, their spiked backs quivering with deadly energy.

The contrast was staggering. The boss, a blue monstrosity nearly twice the size of a car, stood as the centerpiece of chaos, its sheer bulk radiating power. Meanwhile, its green minions, each no larger than a dog, scattered like a predatory swarm, their movements fast and erratic.

Citizens screamed as the green Spike-Frogs leapt toward them. One unlucky man tripped on the sidewalk, a Spike-Frog landing squarely on his chest. Its spiked back quivered before shooting out a cluster of sharp needles that pierced through the man's jacket, drawing cries of pain.

Hugo's eyes darted around in panic. Mothers clutched their children, dragging them away from the growing swarm. A delivery driver abandoned his motorbike, sprinting as two of the green creatures pounced after him. Cars screeched to a halt, the drivers honking and shouting, trying to reverse out of the congested street.

One of the smaller creatures hopped onto the hood of a car, its spikes rattling ominously. The driver froze, watching in horror as the creature's sticky tongue lashed out, slapping against the windshield and cracking the glass.

"Move! Get out of here! The hunter will come and save us soon!" someone shouted, trying to direct the fleeing crowd, but the chaos was overwhelming.

The boss-level Spike-Frog tilted its massive head, its throat expanding and contracting as it let out another deep croak. Without warning, it shot its sticky, whip-like tongue forward, slamming into a streetlamp with enough force to uproot it and send it crashing onto a parked car.

Hugo barely had time to process what was happening when the boss turned its attention to him. Its massive, unblinking eyes locked onto him as it croaked loudly, the spikes on its back rattling with a sound that made his stomach churn.

Before Hugo could react, the blue Spike-Frog opened its wide, toothless mouth, and a sharp hiss echoed through the air. A jet of high-pressure water blasted out, carving through the pavement like a hot knife through butter. Hugo dove to the side just in time, landing hard on his shoulder as the water jet tore through the spot where he had been standing.

The impact sent chunks of debris flying, some hitting nearby windows and shattering the glass. Screams echoed as the destructive force narrowly missed several fleeing civilians.

As Hugo scrambled to his feet, his heart pounded in his chest. The smaller Spike-Frogs swarmed the area, leaping onto cars and chasing down anyone who hadn't escaped yet. The blue boss stood in the center of it all, its presence dominating the chaos as it prepared to strike again.

Hugo clenched his fists, his breath shallow and quick. He knew he had to do something, but the sheer pressure radiating from the dungeon boss left him frozen in place. "Damn it.. why hasn't the hunter came yet..." For the first time, he felt the weight of what it meant to face a dungeon breakout head-on and he wasn't sure he was ready for it.

The Spike-Frog boss let out a thunderous croak, its sticky tongue whipping out toward Hugo with lightning speed. Hugo barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as the tongue smashed into the pavement, leaving a crater where he had stood. He rolled to his feet, panting, the Megatrix still glowing and emitting its mechanical alarm.

[Danger!] [Danger!] [Danger!] Surprising Hugo as he didn't expect the Megatrix to have an alarm but doesn't have time to dwell on it.

"Yeah, no kidding!" Hugo shouted, ducking as a barrage of smaller Spike-Frogs leaped at him, their tiny, sharp spikes grazing his arms. He winced, realizing he was cornered.

The dungeon boss roared again, its back spikes suddenly extending outward like jagged spears. With a sharp shake, it launched the spikes in all directions. Hugo dived behind a toppled car, the projectiles embedding themselves into the metal with terrifying force.

[Protect the Wielder, Auto Transformation.]

Hugo's eyes widened as the Megatrix's voice cut through the chaos. His heart leapt with hope, but it was quickly dashed when the device continued.

[Failed: No Transformation Within the Slot.]

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Hugo groaned, scrambling out from his cover as the boss unleashed another sticky tongue attack, narrowly missing him. The smaller Spike-Frogs swarmed closer, their croaks echoing as they closed in.

[Automatic Scan: Activated.]

Hugo stumbled to a halt, his wrist glowing brighter as the Megatrix's lens extended, emitting a scanning beam. It swept over the dungeon boss, analyzing its massive, grotesque form. The smaller Spike-Frogs were also caught in the beam, their green bodies illuminated as the device processed their data.

"Come on, hurry up!" Hugo muttered, narrowly avoiding a high-pressure blast of water that erupted from the boss's mouth. The jet hit the ground with explosive force, sending shards of concrete flying. One grazed Hugo's cheek, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving.

The Megatrix chimed again, its voice cutting through the mayhem.

[Scanning Complete: New Transformation Acquired.]

The boss let out a deafening roar, the mana pressure around it intensifying. Hugo, cornered against a ruined building, glanced down at the device as the holographic dial spun rapidly, projecting a small image of the newly scanned form, a superior version of the Spike-Frog.

He clenched his fist, adrenaline surging through him. The boss lunged forward, preparing to crush him with its immense body. Hugo's lips curled into a defiant smirk as he raised his left wrist.

"It's Hunting Time!" he shouted, slamming his right hand down onto the dial just as the boss closed in.

A blinding vortex of blue and white light erupted from the Megatrix, enveloping Hugo in its energy. As the transformation began, the dungeon boss halted its charge, its bulging eyes narrowing in sudden confusion and fear. The smaller Spike-Frogs croaked nervously, sensing the shift in power as Hugo's silhouette started to change.

Continue...

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Bonus information!!

Name: Megatrix

Design: The Megatrix is a sleek, circular device with a blue color scheme and glowing cyan accents. Its central interface features a glowing, intricate circular dial surrounded by small nodes that emit blue light. The device is mounted on an adjustable black wristband with white accents for a secure fit.

Function: The Megatrix allows the user to transform into superior versions of non-human species. Using advanced scanning technology, it captures and stores the essence of creatures in six available slots. When activated, the user transforms into an enhanced version of the scanned species for one hour, after which it reverts to its original form and enters recharge mode. During recharge, it absorbs ambient mana to restore functionality.

Information: The Megatrix is a high-tech, versatile device that enhances physical and magical attributes by replicating and improving the traits of various species. Its limited storage capacity encourages strategic use of transformations. Powered by ambient mana, it functions without manual intervention and features an intuitive holographic interface for easy transformation selection.